Apocalypto by Troy

Apocalypto, Rated: R, Starring: Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernandez
Directed by: Mel Gibson
Written by: Mel Gibson, Farhad Safinia

Rating: Movie Quality: 7.5, Entertainment: 8, Overall: 8.5

Ok - So I'm probably being a little more harsh on this movie than I really should be . . but I can't help it. This was a very very good movie. The fact that it's a Mel Gibson film means I critique it a little harshly - I liked The Passion, I wouldn't watch it again - but I liked it, I liked Paparazzi - don't really remember it but I liked it - Apocalypto was probably the best of the 3. I think I have a pretty weak stomach and can't really handle gore very well - so I was a bit squeamish in some scenes. The scene where the village was ravaged definitely created a lot of emotions - anger, sadness, fright . . it was sad as hell. One thing I didn't really like was that if you're paying enough attention you'll get the rest of the story from the prophecy of the sick little girl - I wasn't so it was cool to see the things she say come to pass. This movie flowed really well, great cinematography - especially by the waterfall. Jaguar Paw is probably one of the coolest characters. The acting was very good. The ending at the beach was very good - obviously since it has to do with the Mayan History it's a little predictable - but I think it depicts the actual historical events well - not that I'd know how it really happened - but it created the emotion. If you were paying attention you know a bit more how the movie ends . . sorry about the spoiler. I was thoroughly entertained throughout the movie and therefore the subtitles didn't really bother me - in fact, because there wasn't any English at all and there weren't any white actors throughout I think it really created the effect that you were actually there, especially the sacrificial scene. Great movie - not a perfect 10 - but I would suggest it.

Movie Quality: Great acting, by everybody. Great directing, Delicious cinematography, wonderful scenes. 7.5

Entertainment: Great elements. A lot of enjoyable scenes. 8

Overall: 8 - superb

Public Enemies by Troy

Public Enemies, Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Directed by: Michael Mann
Written by: Ronan Bennet, Michael Mann

Rating: Movie Quality: 7.5, Entertainment: 3, Overall: 4

This was such a disappointing movie for me. It had all of the elements of a great movie. It had Old-Time Gangsters, great actors: Johnny Depp (although Chris would disagree ;) ) and Christian Bale, Great Cinematography, great story and serious potential. What ruined this movie for me was merely the entertainment and the length. It was way too long. It had some great scenes. I loved the part where John Dillinger walks right into his own department at the police station and actually asks the cops what the score of the game was (whether that part was true I'm not sure, but great anyway), and the ending. The big shootout at the bed and breakfast the gangsters were staying in had a lot of potential, but it was the most boring shootout in a movie I've ever seen. It was 10 minutes of back and forth tommy-gun - with nothing happening except bullet holes in a building. I think that part could have been cut down in length and had a few more entertaining elements. For instance, I remember seeing a documentary on that bed and breakfast (sorry folks but I forgot the name of it) and there is a legend that Mr Dillinger actually buried his share of the robbery somewhere on that land, near a lake I believe - if they could have added that one little bit I think it would have made it a D scene to a B- scene. Overall I think that it should have been shorter OR more entertaining. Johnny Depp did an EXCELLENT job as a gangster and Christian Bale did an EXCELLENT job as a cocky copper. Like I said before, with such a great story, great actors, etc. . it had all of the elements - it just wasn't tied together. Blame the editors?

Movie Quality: Great acting, great screenwriting, decent directing, and beautiful cinematography. Solid 7

Entertainment: Long and boring. Some good elements. Generous 3

Overall: 4 - only because of the acting and the actual story

Hotel Rwanda by Jake

Hotel Rwanda, Rated PG-13; Starring: Don Cheadle, and Nick Nolte

Directed by: Terry George

Written by: Terry George and Keir Pearson

Rating: Movie Quality: 10, Entertainment: 9, Overall: 10

This movie is an amazing piece of artwork. Before I saw this movie I knew of and liked Don Cheadle, but after I saw this movie I became a full on Don Cheadle fan. By far the best acting performance of his career. The film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards; Best Writing in an Original Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. It is sad that the film came out the same year as "Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind", "Ray", and "Million Dollar Baby" cause it would have won those awards any other year. I still feel that Don Cheadle was robbed of that Oscar. It is really hard for a filmmaker, not impossible, to ruin a true story that is good. This film focuses on the humanitarian aspect of the Rwandan genocide of 1994. It makes different political statements as well, which I usually hate. One of the most memorable quotes from the movie illustrates the statement being made. It is given from Nolte's character, Colonel Oliver, to Cheadle's character, Rusesabagina, Oliver looks at Rusesabagina and says, "The West...they think your dirt...You're black. You're not even a nigger. You're an African." It follows a Hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina, Cheadle, who is a Hutu citizen of Rwanda who married and is sympathetic to Tutsi's. When the Hutu president is murdered and the Tutsi's are blamed for it the Hutu's begin a nationwide massacre of all the Tutsi's, in the end just under 1,000,000 Tutsi's are killed. Rusesabagina does all that he can, risking his life multiple times, to protect the ones he loves. This movies does an impeccable job in connecting you with the characters, even the extras. You care about every single person that is murdered. It is an emotional roller coaster ride. When they avoid being killed once you are so relieved but then the knowledge that it is only temporary comes back and you start worrying about how they will live through the next 12 hours. It is very difficult to take a story like this and put into 2 hours and keep the pace so that it doesn't get boring. George and Pearson did a very good job at this. There is not a lot of action in this movie but there is enough suspense to keep you interested. It is a movie about a person in the conflict, not about the conflict itself. Seeing that, I think it would have been inappropriate to show any more action than it did. They made sure that when there was action that you felt like a spectator and not a participant. Overall it was a great movie that was very well put together. It starts right off and goes till the end.

Movie Quality: Superb acting, great screenwriting, amazing directing, and beautiful cinematography. All this adds up to nothing less than a work of art. Huge 10

Entertainment: Just enough suspense to keep you interested and intrigued. Ties you to the characters so that you care about everything that happens. A solid 9

Overall: One of the greatest movies I have seen. The combination of all the things that I have said above makes me give this movie a perfect 10